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1 June 2000
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| The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
(PolyU) yesterday (June 1) received a donation of $100 million,
the largest personal contribution ever received by the Institution
from the Li Ka Shing Foundation to support its further development. |
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| At a commemorative ceremony
held on the PolyU campus, Dr. Li Ka-shing, Chairman of the Li
Ka Shing Foundation, presented a donation cheque of $100 million
to Dr. Sir Gordon Wu, PolyU Council Chairman, and Prof. Poon
Chung-kwong, PolyU President. |
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| Speaking at the ceremony, Sir
Gordon said the Institution is both honoured and proud to have
been selected as one of the major recipients of Dr. Li's benefaction.
He said: "PolyU needs the support of community leaders like
Dr. Li to help realize its mission of serving the community." |
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| Dr. Li said: "PolyU has a distinct
objective of meeting society's requirements for skilled and
professional manpower who can apply their knowledge in practice.
Nearly 180,000 PolyU graduates are now contributing members
to our community. In addition, PolyU has been very successful
in promoting the development of local industry and commerce
by helping them meet the new paradigm of a new economy." |
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| Dr. Li said he was very impressed
by Prof. Poon's outstanding leadership, and by the boundless
energy exhibited by PolyU students and teachers in their quest
for excellence. He said the donation was made to help PolyU
achieve "academic excellence in a professional context" and
"dedicated partnerships with business and industry." |
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| "I love Hong Kong, and I sincerely
hope that I can contribute to the further development of education
in Hong Kong so that all learners can realize their full potential,"
Dr. Li added. |
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| Prof. Poon said
Dr. Li's generous donation in the name of the Li Ka Shing Foundation
will contribute most significantly to the long-term development
of the Institution, and facilitate the further advancement of
its professional and continuing education activities as well
as services to business and industry. |
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| He said: "Over the
years our efforts to promote lifelong education have proved
to be very fruitful. We have set up the School of Professional
Education and Executive Education (SPEED) to provide members
of our society with ample opportunity to acquire new skills
and broaden their knowledge." |
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| "To support the continuous development
of the industrial and business sectors, and enhance their competitiveness
in the international market, we have also established the Institute
for Enterprise (IfE) to provide a wide range of services, including
mid-stream applied technology research, professional consultancy,
and management and executive development," he added. |
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| PolyU's professional and continuing
education courses are extremely popular among the workforce.
Through SPEED and various training units under IfE, including
the Management and Executive Development Centre, China Business
Centre, and Centre of Professional and Business English, PolyU
has offered a total of 1,170 courses for 26,144 mature learners
in 1998/99. |
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| In addition, part-time programmes
offered by PolyU are in great demand among mature learners.
In 1999/2000, the Institution received a total of 10,247 applications
competing for 1,845 places of part-time degree and sub-degree
programmes. |
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| Over the years, the Li Ka Shing
Foundation has actively contributed over HK$3.8 billion towards
projects which benefit education and medical care in Hong Kong
and the Chinese mainland. |
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